Bedstead-clamp



(No Model.)

J. G. GUNN.

BEDSTBAD CLAMP.

l w 8 a 1 o Y n .4 J d m 6 m m a a +0 a P witmaooeo UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN C. GUNN, OF KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE.

BEDSTEAD-CLAMP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 346,153, dated July 27, 1886.

Application filed May 5,1886. Serial No. 201,218. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J our? 0. GUNN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Knoxville, in the county of Knox and State of Tennessee, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Bedstead-Clamps, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in bedstead-clamps; and it consists of the peculiar combination and novel construction of the various parts for service, substantially as hereinafter fully set forth, and particularly pointed out in the claim.

The object of my invention is to provide improved means for strengthening and bracing a bedstead, which shall be very cheap and inexpensive of manufacture, easily adjusted to tighten the tension on the cords or wires, and effective in operation.

A further object of my invention is to provide an improved clamp which shall be ready for instant adjustment when applied to a bed stead, and which shall be capable of application to bedsteads of any class or description.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a bedstead having my improved clamp applied thereto. Figs. 2 and 3 are like views showing different arrangements of the clamps. Figs. 4 and 5 are detached perspective and longitudinal sectional views, respectively, through the adj usting'screw and the cross-heads.

Referring to the drawings, in which like letters of reference denote corresponding parts in all the figures, A designates the side rails. and B B the head and'foot boards, respectively, of a bedstead to which my invention is applied.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings,0 designates hooks or eyes, which are secured to the side rails of the bedstead, and these hooks or eyes are arranged a short distance apart from each other and the middle of the side rails of the bedstead.

D designates the binding and adj ustin g screw of my improved clamp, and on this screw is arranged or fitted two bars or cross-heads, E F, said bars being arranged parallel with each other and having cords or wires G secured to their extremities, and the free ends of the wires are secured to the hooks or eyes 0 of the bedstead. The cross-heads are of equal length and size, and at the ends they are provided with circumferential grooves h, in which are fitted and secured the ends of the cords or wires G.

The adjustingscrew D is provided at one end with an enlarged handle-piece, d, which can be grasped and firmly held by the hand to rotate the binding or adjusting screw, and the opposite end of the screw is reduced to form a shoulder or ledge, d, against which the inner cross head or bar, E, bears. The reduced end of the screw is threaded exteriorly, as shown, for nearly its entire length, so as to leave asmooth or plane portion, (1 adjacent the shoulder d, and on this plane' portion fits the opening in theinner cross-head,E. At its mid die the outer cross-head, F, is provided with an interiorly-threaded opening, f, and the cross-head E is provided with a smooth central opening, 6, so that it can be freely moved back and forth on the screw toward the shoulder and cross-head F thereon. By turning the binding or adjusting screw in one direction the cross-head F is caused to traverse toward the end of the screw D and loosen the tension on the cords and also on the cords connecting with the crosshead E, so that the cross-heads are separated from each other, and when it is desired to take up the slack in the cords or wires the adjusting-screw is turned in the reverse direction to cause the cross-heads to approach each other.

My improved cross-heads and adj ustingscrew are preferably made of strong wood for cheapness and lightness of manufacture; but if it is deemed desirable the parts may be of metal.

By providing the smooth portion and shoulder ;on the adj ustingscrew and fitting the cross-head with the smooth opening thereon, the strain and wear on the threads of the adjusting-screw are reduced, and the parts are thus rendered more durable and strong in construction.

The device hereinbefore shown and described is only adapted to take up and strengthen the side rails of the bed; but to give additional strength and rigidity to the bedstead the head and foot boards may be provided with eyes I and the cords or wires from the cross-heads extended through the books or eyes 0 and connected to the hooks at the ends of the bedstead so that the strain of the cross-heads'Ion the cords or wires is brought simultaneously on the side rails and head and foot boards of the bedstead.

To provide means for supporting the slats and bedding, a series of adjusting devices or clamps may be arranged longitudinally of the bedstead, the cords of one clamp running across the cords of the clamps adjacent thereto, and secured to the side rails of the bedstead at points thereon intermediate of two adjacent binding-screws,to equalize the tension or force thereon.

I attach especial importance to the peculiar construction and arrangement of the adjusting-screw and the cross-heads, as I am enabled thereby to provide a clamp which is very simple and durable in construetiomwhich is easy, always ready for and effective in operation, and easily and readily applied to and adjusted for use upon a bedstead.

I am aware of the device shown in Patent No. 333,453 in which an adjusting-bolt having right and left hand threads at its ends is employed to sustain two cross-plates, which are adjusted toward and away from each other by nuts that are fitted on the bolt and bear against the plates, said nuts employing a wrench to effect the adjustment thereof and of the cross-plates; but my invention differs from this device in the fact that I provide my adjusting-bolt with a handle-piece, so that it is always in position to be turned, and with a shoulder, against which bears the inner crosshead, said cross-head being free of the threads of the bolt and the outer cross-head being actuated by the bolt.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is As an improvement in bedstead-clamps, the combination of an adjusting-screw, D, having a smooth or plane portion, (Z and an enlarged hand-piece, d, forming a shoulder, d, in rear of the smooth portion d, a non adjustable cross-head, E, having the grooves h in its ends and fitted on thesmooth portion (1", and bearing against the shoulder d, an adjustable crosshead, F, provided with the grooved ends and the threaded opening through which the free end of the screw D passes, the eyes or hooks secured in the bed-frame, and the cords secured to the grooves of'the cross-heads and the eyes or hooks, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own Ihave hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN C. GUNN. Vitnesses:

JOHN \V. GREEN, CHAS. F. HUMns. 

